The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-03
FOREIGNERS IN THE C. S. A.
Some Facts and Gossip for Hoine Con-
sumption.

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Sorne Facts and Gossip for Home Con
sumption.
There were but very few foreigners in
the Confederate Army. In the term
"foreignersn I include only persons, born
outside of the United States, who were
not citizens or residing here when the
war begau. Nor was the foreign tourist,
in search of pleasure and adventure,
seen frequently in the South in those
days. The foreign officers who served in
the Confederate Army can almost be
counted on ones fingers, and I had the
good fortune to know most of them.
Conspicuous among those foreigners
who drew their swords in the Confederate
cause was Major Heros Won Borcke,
who served on the staff of Gen. j. 3. B.
Stuart, and was desperately wounded in
calvary fight at Aldie. Won Borcke
was man of almost gigantic stature,
and broad in proportion. The sabre
which he welded was like weavers
beam, and in his hands was as effective a
weapon as the two, handed sword OF
olden times. His active service here
ended with the fight at Aldie, and he
returned to Germany. / think that he
served, and with distinction, in the var
between Prussia and Austria, but alter
wards grew SO enormously stout thai no
horse was strong enough to carry him.
A delightful man in every way, aud as
true soldier as ever lived, Major Won
Borcke will long be remembered by
those who knew him.
In one of the North Carolina regi-
ments there was Capt. Gordon, whom !
did not chance to meet.
With the Army Of Northern Virginia,
for q short time, there also vas Col. St.
Leger Greenfell, who was subsequently,
accused of being engaged in a scheme for
the liberation of the Confederate prison
ers of war at Johnson's Island. Col.
Greenfell had led q highly adventurous
life. It had sad ending. He was
taken prisoner in the North and sent to
the Dry Tortugas. AS rumor goes, he
attempted, one stormy night, to make his
escape in al open boat, slnd has never
been heard Of since.
Capt. Fielden, of the English army,
who was on staff duty in Charleston,
married here, and afterwards returned TO
England and resumed his place in the
service.
An officer of high attainmenIs, who
was in the South semi-oaicially, is Ma.
ior scheibert, of the Prussiau army. By
no means fair to see, he was a most
accomplished officer, aud was profoundly
impressed with the gallantry and forti.
tude of the Confederate forces. Schci-
bert has written considerably on the
subject of the Confederate war since his
return home, and has succeeded in
impressiug Marshal Won Moltke with q
lively sense of the value of cavalry such
as that which was led by Stuart, Hamp.
ton and the Lees. The Southern Con.
fsderacy had nowhere more intelligent
friend and judicious critic than Major
Scheibert.
A very charming fellow, who Was with
US for slime, during the Chickamauga
campaign, was Capt Ross, of the Aus
trian army. He was of Scotch descent,
as bis name indicates, but regarded him
self as entirely an Austrian, and held q
commission as captain in The Empress's
Own Hussars. One day he rugged him
self out in full uniform for che benefit of
The diDgy Con!ederates, aud, in hia sky
blue jacket profusely decorated with
silver, and with ornate trappings of one
,rt or another, he looked, indeed, as if
he had stepped from the pages of a pic
ture book. Ross was most kindly man,
and amiable and considerate in every
respect. Moreover, he was a irst.rate
officer, and published, on his return
homs, capital account of what he had
seen and heard in the South.
Col. Fremantle. of the English Army,
was with Longstreet's corps during the
Gettysburg campaign, where he signal
lied himselfb such disposition to go
to the front that Gen. Lee hinted to him
that he had better Withdraw, as be had
no business there. The gallant English.
man took the suggestion in good part,
simply saying: "Yes, an.l if I should
get hit everybody would soy what fool
I was to come here"
There WAS another Euglishman who
served in the Confederate Army during
nearly the whole war, and of whom I
happened to see great deal. This was
Capt. Winthrop, of the 44th Foot. He
was the son of a clergyman in Shrop-
shire, l think, and came over in 1862.
Winthrop was powerful man and not
particularly graceful or handsome, but
he had bright, open face, which was a
fair and true index of the manliness of
his character. Under the Confederate
laws be could not be appointed to com.
mand in the line, and was, therefore,
commissioned as assistant adjutant and
inspector general, with the rank of cap
tain. By his frank demeanor and unaf-
fected manner he gained the hearty
goodwill of officers and men, and at the
siege Of Knoxville exhibited degree OF
gallantry which was rare in even an
army where gallant deeds were common.
Longstreet's corps had invested Knox
vile, and it was determined to take by
| assault Fort Sanders, which was the
principal defence Of the city. More than
| one unsuccessful effort to take the fort
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